


Mania of grandeur

by CabiriaMinerva



Series: Made of stone [3]
Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Lizzington - Freeform, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 10:05:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7710895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CabiriaMinerva/pseuds/CabiriaMinerva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raymond Reddington was a feared criminal, but fear hadn't often been the emotion he'd stirred in Elizabeth Keen. Not until the moment she found herself blind folded and dreading what would happen when she'd see the unknown location Dembe had taken her to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mania of grandeur

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I wrote last night... I hope you'll like it! Critiques and comments are always welcome!

Although Elizabeth Keen had always known that Raymond Reddington was a feared criminal, _fear_ hadn't often been the emotion he'd stirred in her. Even when they'd first met she had felt mostly curiosity, maybe mixed with some sort of professional awe – after all, he was number four on the Most Wanted FBI list and had been the subject of many classes during her studies. Then she had loathed the man, sometimes even finding him repulsive in his ways. Rarely, she had found herself fascinated with his genius – yes, a criminal genius, but still... there was something, in the way he plotted and manipulated and negotiated... then, of course, things had changed. But she had never really _feared_ him.

Not until that moment.

She had been literally abducted from her apartment by his loyal body guard, Dembe, and was now in the dark, a blind fold over her eyes. Knowing how he managed his business – which comprehended whatever he felt the need to stick his nose into – and considering what she had gathered by their years spent working together, she was sure she had all rights to dread whatever would happen when the blind fold would disappear.

She had tried to talk to Dembe during the long minutes spent in the back of the car, the darkness surrounding her preventing her from seeing where he was taking her. «Dembe, please... where are we going? What's going on?» But he had been silent. Only at one point she had heard something, as if he was chuckling, but she couldn't be sure.

So, she had grown worried.

Then he had stopped the car and taken her inside a building – a house? A warehouse? As she couldn't hear anything, she'd supposed it wasn't a public place. They'd climbed some stairs and he had led her into a room – as much she had deducted – and now she was on a chair, waiting for whatever Reddington had in store for her.

She could feel her palms sweating.

«Red...?» she chirped when she heard steps entering the room.

A hand came to her neck, fingers stroking the soft skin, almost soothing.

She wasn't sure whether she wanted to know what was going on or not. She felt more than heard him smile. He simply  _loved_ to be in control, to have power over others, and he made no effort to hide it.

The fingers slowly moved up her neck, playing with her hair a bit, then freed her from the blind fold.

She blinked a few times, letting her eyes getting used to the light. Then her mouth slightly fell open. She blinked again.

«What have you done, Reddington...?» she whispered.

«Why, are you telling me you didn't expect something like that would happen, sooner or later?» He let out a soft chuckle.

«I suspected it, I... I feared you could be able of things like that... But I didn't really believe you'd do that, not like this.»

«You should know, by now, that I don't often follow others' expectations.» He sounded particularly proud of himself. Then, he lowered himself, almost kneeling next to her, his right hand on her lap, steadying himself.

«Yes, but this...» she looked around, mixed feelings transpiring painted on her face.

He brought one hand to her cheek and gently forced her to face him, frowning at the sight of the tears in her eyes. «What? You don't like it?» he asked, confused. «If you don't, I only have to make a few calls and...»

She silenced him with a chaste kiss on his mouth. «You really don't know how to manage your mania of grandeur, and that was exactly what I feared...» The tone of her voice was sweet as honey and barely more than a whisper. «But yes, I do like it, Red.» She extended her hands, which he quickly took into his. «Is this for  _me_ ?» she asked, and he knew why she'd stressed the last word.

«Well... it's for you... and for Agnes...» he cleared his throat. «And for me, if you'll have me...» He let the words float in the air, knowing he wouldn't need to explain the consequences of that statement.

Elizabeth let her gaze wonder on the light green walls of the nursery, on the fawn and beige furniture, on the cradle with a choice of colourful blankets placed on it. She bit her bottom lip while one hand went to her bump, almost as if asking their daughter if she was ok with her room.

«Of course we'll have you...» She smiled and felt a wave of tenderness when she saw relief in his eyes.

«You just made me the happiest of men, Lizzy... You can't even imagine just how...» his voice trailed off, full of emotion. He kissed her. «I won't be able to be here all the time, which is probably better for your own safety... But I promise I'll do whatever it's in my power to make  _this_ worth it.»

«I believe you.» God, if only he could hear how fast her heart was beating... yes, he was an impossible man... but since they'd decided to give themselves a chance, he had flooded her with attentions and love and had even started to  _adjust_ his dealings in order to increase his clean activities. And she was the catalyst of it all, the reason of this change. 

«So... you're sure you like it?» he looked for confirmations, eager to please her.

«I love it,» she reassured him. «And I can't wait to see the rest of  _our_ new home...»

«Oh, you'll love it, Lizzy. It's simple but elegant, I can assure you. And the garden... you must see it. There's this little pond, and some birch trees, and with a few dogs it will look lovely – of course I'll have Mr. Kaplan bring Hudson her as soon as possible, but I was thinking about getting maybe a puppy to keep him company? And then there's a...»

He looked like an overexcited yet adorable child, and she had to force herself to interrupt him – she'd listen to his praises of the home while visiting it. «I can't wait for you to show it all to me, Red, but first we have to discuss this.» She pointed at the corner of the room that had first caught her attention and had confirmed her fears when he had removed the blind fold.

«Why? What's there do discuss?» he asked with the most angelic voice.

«Red.» She locked her gaze to his, then looked back at the corner where a small mountain of stuffed animals laid. «How many?»

«My dear, don't let us linger on such...»

«How many?» she repeated, spotting at least a dozen wolves, not less than fifteen tigers and numberless Teddy Bears.

«Two hundred fifty.» He smirked, and she couldn't help but grinning back. There was something adorable in his fatherly pride and excitement. «And there isn't one alike the other, sweetheart.»

She rolled her eyes but her smile broadened.

«Yes, we really have to talk about your mania of grandeur, or one house won't be enough.»

«Well, then we're lucky I own various properties.»

She rolled her eyes. «And I wouldn't want you to spoil her too much.»

«Are you suggesting I call the tailor and change my order?»

Her eyes widened. «Red...» she said, a warning tone in her voice.

«... maybe I shall call him and just downsize the order before you throw me out.» He grinned a smug smile and she playfully slapped his arm before letting him show her around.

 

 

 


End file.
